TopSide Marinas Acquires Frank’s Marina 

TopSide Marinas a family-owned company that acquires and operates marinas throughout the United States, announced the acquisition of Frank’s Marina, a longstanding boating destination located on Lake Belton in Central Texas. This acquisition marks TopSide’s second marina on Lake Belton, joining North Point Marina, which the company acquired in 2022.

Located between Austin and Dallas and operating under a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lease through the Fort Worth District, Frank’s Marina has served generations of boaters on Lake Belton and currently offers approximately 175 slips, boat rentals, fuel sales and a marina store.

Jim and Cindy Hightower purchased controlling interest in the business in 2005 and three years later with a group of local investors opened The Dead Fish Grill.  They have operated both the marina and the restaurant for the last 18 years. Looking toward the future, they recognized the need for additional investment capital and operational resources to fully realize the potential of both the restaurant and the marina.

As part of its long-term investment strategy, TopSide hopes to reconstruct two existing docks and add new slips to increase capacity and better serve the growing boating community on Lake Belton. The dock improvements will be completed in partnership with James River Dock Services, TopSide’s in-house dock construction and marine infrastructure company.

The partnership also allows the Hightowers and their investor group to focus on expanding the restaurant and surrounding property. Their long-term vision includes additional hospitality offerings, event and venue space and potentially overnight lodging that will further enhance the destination experience for visitors to Lake Belton.

Frank’s Marina joins a growing portfolio of marinas operated by TopSide Marinas across Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Kansas, Illinois and  Wisconsin. The company remains focused on preserving the unique character of each marina while investing in improvements that benefit boaters, team members, and surrounding communities.